Perched on a forested hillside above Missoula, the Pattee Canyon Residence provides a series of bright, light filled spaces for a young family of six. Set into the hillside, the home appears humble from the street while opening up to panoramic views towards the valley. The family frequently puts on large gatherings for friends of all ages; thus, multiple “eddy out” spaces were created throughout the home for more intimate chats. Exposed steel structural ribs and generous glazing in the great room create a rhythm and draw one’s gaze to the folding horizon. Smaller windows on the lower level frame intimate portraits of nature. Cedar siding and dark shingle roofing help the home blend in with its piney surroundings. Inside, rough sawn cabinetry and nature inspired tile provide a textural balance with the bright white spaces and contemporary fixtures.

Beautiful kitchen design should always be supported by smart, hardworking storage. This narrow pull-out transforms a slim cabinet into organized storage for spices, oils, sauces and frequently used cooking essentials. Full-extension shelves make every item visible and accessible from both sides, while keeping bottles off the countertop and close to the food-preparation area. Thoughtful interior features like this make the kitchen as functional as it is attractive.

This completely remodeled Edwardian penthouse includes four bedrooms, an eat-in kitchen, and two full bathrooms. Bathroom and kitchen floors are heated for year round comfort. As the owner is a novelist, one of the bedrooms is used as a working library. To create a sense of serenity, the walls are covered in suede cloth from Jack Lenor Larsen. As the owner travels frequently, all of the exterior plantings are delightfully artificial. Photos © Paul Dyer Photography

The question of adding a table runner is one that comes up frequently. If you have a beautiful table, then why hide it? One solution is to custom make a smaller runner that does not cover the entire table, ideally with room for placements around the table that can be added as needed. This dragonfly runner was in keeping with the other nature-themed accent pieces in the room and worked beautifully with the pedestal container. Floral and runner design by Lauran Corson

Thanks to international shipping and The Container Store, we transformed a tiny Parisian kitchen into an ooh-la-la organized space! Big on charm but tight on space - the entire apartment is teenie tiny. It's only 600 square feet and three cabinets in the kitchen total. Elfa shelving and storage bins from The Container Store. Maximizing the vertical space and providing storage for items used less frequently.

Since the homeowners enjoy using their hot tub frequently, one of the main factors in the design of the space was privacy. The pergola with Shadetree canopy provides plenty. In addition, the louvers used in the custom privacy wall are oriented to block the view into the space while still allowing the homeowners to see their beautifully wooded backyard during all seasons! Photos provided by Archadeck of Suburban Boston.

Though graced with a towering Sycamore and other mature plantings, this impressive Craftsman garden was in need of some reimagining. Working with our clients’ wish to eliminate their existing pool, we sited and designed a new spa, pathways, and seating area with a millstone fountain that fits the bucolic feeling of the site. New plantings were designed to attract birds and butterflies. Photo by Martin Cox.

The homeowners of this California Cottage wanted a beach vibe in their 1700 sq. ft. home. They wanted to make the most of their spaces by widening doorways, adding wood floors throughout the house, and adding a skylight. The result is cozy, casual California living at its best with frequent family dinners and celebrations with friends. Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com

Inspiration for a transitional laundry room remodel in Austin

The homeowners of this California Cottage wanted a beach vibe in their 1700 sq. ft. home. They wanted to make the most of their spaces by widening doorways, adding wood floors throughout the house, and adding a skylight. The result is cozy, casual California living at its best with frequent family dinners and celebrations with friends. Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com

This 3,200-square-foot apartment feels much larger thanks to inspired changes that maximize ocean-front views in Sunny Isle, Fla. Richly textured with walnut paneling, plaster walls and low, simple-shaped furnishings, this second-home to avid travelers is warm, inviting and easily maintained. A den and dining room were carved out of existing space, giving the illusion of a larger contemporary area, which is used for frequent entertaining.

This new pantry loaded with storage and a utility cabinet backs up our new front hall closet. ...We took a compact closed in space and created this light and airy workhorse, still compact, but not closed in! Maximizing the space, we attached high island cabinets carefully calculated to allow our 6'4" homeowner to have an unobstructed view, but still reach items used less frequently. The baking station is lower at 30"h which is not only standard for baking stations, but necessary for the 5'3" mom.

Blue and white is one of my favorite color combinations. This classic palette is ideal for coastal designs, such as when we work on projects along the Lake Michigan shoreline. However, we also incorporate these colors frequently in designs for near Notre Dame properties as well.

This bathroom was designed and built for a family in Fairfax, VA who wanted to get better use of the corner bathroom in the master bedroom. Before we remodeled their bathroom, there was a lot of wasted space. Now they have a lovely sunken tub with water jets that they use frequently and love.

Maolin Li, a young entrepreneur based overseas purchased a 1.5 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo at The Residences at the W Hollywood to serve as a home away from home during his frequent trips to Los Angeles. With a few weeks until his next visit, Maolin enlisted Cantoni LA designer, Kyle Spivey to transform the empty space into a stylish, move-in ready home all in time for his stateside arrival. To create a warm and welcoming urban oasis to suit Maolin’s jet-setting lifestyle, Kyle repainted the walls and adorned them with custom wallpaper, framed the windows with drapes and outfitted each room with customized furnishings and high impact art and accessories. Check out what Kyle had to say about the design process as well as what inspired him along the way on the Cantoni Blog here: cantoni.com/blog/2015/03/stylish-hollywood-pad-w-hollywood/ Photos by Lucas Cichon

Our clients wanted to expand their living space down into their unfinished basement. While the space would serve as a family rec room most of the time, they also wanted it to transform into an apartment for their parents during extended visits. The project needed to incorporate a full bathroom and laundry.One of the standout features in the space is a Murphy bed with custom doors. We repeated this motif on the custom vanity in the bathroom. Because the rec room can double as a bedroom, we had the space to put in a generous-size full bathroom. The full bathroom has a spacious walk-in shower and two large niches for storing towels and other linens. Our clients now have a beautiful basement space that expanded the size of their living space significantly. It also gives their loved ones a beautiful private suite to enjoy when they come to visit, inspiring more frequent visits!

This custom gourmet chef kitchen design was tailored for a foodies that grow their own food, cook on a daily basis and frequently entertain. the purpose was to create a space that serves all these functions to the best fit with a strong wow effect. after a couple of month monitoring and researching how to optimize the new kitchen for their needs, the challenges the current architecture put for us and their aesthetic preferences we came up with a design plan and the result is nothing but stunning!

We transformed this overgrown and unusable back yard into a private retreat for these homeowners and their dogs. The couple wanted a place to relax, paths for the dogs to play, and beautiful native plantings. The cedar floating deck was the star, surrounded by a perimeter of all-season perennials, shrubs and trees. Plants were also positioned on top of a wall to soften the rear fence and prevent erosion. Now, this beautiful and functional garden is utilized, quite frequently, throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall. And, the dogs get a good workout.

Custom arch top doors at the bottom of the stairs and built in shelving along the knee wall keep this main suite feeling cozy and tidy. An openwork railing around the stairwell help it feel less cramped while keeping things safe. Designed by Chelly Wentworth. Photos by Photo Art Portraits